Monthly Archives: April 2013

Cuban can be vegan too!

Miami is immersed in Cuban culture. From the coffee to the art, Cuba’s heartbeat is felt in this city. We decided to honor our love for Cuban contributions (namely a colleague of mine who recently got his American citizenship!) by creating a Cuban inspired vegan meal; black beans, pork, rice and plantains are stereotypical in local cuisine.

IMG_2502

For the black beans, all we did was drain a tin of black beans and combine with some roughly chopped peppers, onions and tomato.

IMG_2504

We prepared some frozen Goya maduros in our oven. They’re basically fried mature bananas. They’re SUPER tasty.

vigo_yello_rice

We made Vigo yellow rice.

IMG_2507

Instead of pork, we had maple bacon tempeh. A traditional preparation of pork in Cuban cuisine might be topped with sauteed onions and cheddar cheese. We decided on the rest of those peppers instead. All of this was really easy. It took less than an hour to prepare everything and it was also delicious, nutritious and satisfying.

Thank-you to our neighbor to the South for the inspiration and a good friend who is finally official!

This is Brent and Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chickenless Salad Wraps

This was an inappropriately easy dinner. We’ve been busy trying to find a friend for our bunny so we haven’t had a lot of time to make anything elaborate. All we did was combine the following:

2 cups soy curls

1 cube bouillon

1/2 tsp herbes de Provence

IMG_2524

We covered them in water and microwaved one minute at a time until the water was absorbed. Then I added 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

IMG_2526

We added it to a wrap with some spinach (I added that after I took this picture), home-grown sprouts, tomato and bell pepper.

It was sweet, savory, crispy, chewy, and satisfying.

This is Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When you’re vegan, gifts come from above.

The first mango of the season was stolen off the tree in our back yard. After that, there were bowls of salsa and gazpacho as well as margaritas and daiquiris!

This is Christie, signing off!

Tagged ,

Spicy Peanut Chili Pizza!

This was our first in a line of experiments involving some of our favorite ingredients: PB2, Sriracha and tofu. We wanted pizza but didn’t have any of he traditional ingredients so we decided to wing it and make something Thai-inspired. We used a pre-made gluten-free pizza crust from the ZenCat bakery but you can use a storebought variety or make our home-made crust.
IMG_2508
For the sauce, I combined the following in our blender:
1 block of silken tofu
3 tablespoons of Sriracha or suitable substitute (or to taste)
2 Thai chilis, I used one red and one green (I also buy them in bulk and freeze them)
2 tbsp PB2 or regular peanut butter
IMG_2510
I blended it until it looked smooth while Brent prepared some soy curls.

IMG_2511

We topped it with some sliced tomato and Thai basil (cilantro would work well too) and then baked it until it had started to brown around the edges.

IMG_2512

A sprinkling of chopped peanuts (or cashews) really made this pizza interesting but it won’t suffer if you leave it off. It was creamy, spicy and decadent. It felt a lot naughtier than it was in terms of nutrition. The next time we do this, I’ll probably add some fresh cilantro or Thai basil after baking. I just love the cinnamon flavors it adds.

This is Brent and Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Off-Day Bunnday

Hey gang! We interrupt your slice of craziness to bring you a cute PSA. Apples are delicious, and good for you. If you like, share them with a friend. In our case, we share them with our flemish giant, Vlad.

Have an awesome day, a great week, and a better year!

From Vlad, Brent, and Christie… Peace out, my vegans!

 

 

Special Note : Apples are super sugary, and loads of apple for you or a rabbit can be bad. Especially bunns as they are easily diabetic. The more you know! ( ^u^)

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Sesame Citrus Salad Starring KALE!

This was an afternoon salad for me and Brent when we were both home and wanted a snack that was more significant than a pickle. Brent peeled 3 mandarin oranges and prepared some soy curls.

IMG_2496

I tore up some red and green kale and washed it.

IMG_2497

I tossed it together with sesame seeds and a tangy citrus dressing and threw in the orange slices and soy curls for an easy tasty treat.

IMG_2498

It was much more filling than either of us had anticipated. I think just about any citrus dressing would do but we used a local specialty: tangerine vinaigrette.

IMG_2499

The orange, green and purple were also visually stunning and I love when food nourishes your mind AND your body so I’m a fan. Let me know what your variation on this theme is.

This is Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Breakfast Wrap

This particular item more resembles dessert than breakfast but the nutritional profile doesn’t disappoint. All I did was take a flax gluten-free tortilla and topped it with the following

1 tbsp chocolate peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter and Co. but really any vegan nut butter will do)

2 tbsp dried blueberries (dried cranberries or raisins would work well too)

1/2  banana, sliced

1/4 apple, sliced

1/4 cup granola (I used Cascadian Farms)

I microwaved it for 20 seconds so it would soften and then ate it… It kept me full until lunch time. The crisp acidic apple and the soft sweet banana were perfectly balanced with the chewy blueberries and nutty chocolate crunch of the granola and peanut butter. Next time I might add some slivered almonds.

This is Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,